"I want to be loved."

This post is in response to Elder Ronald A. Rasband, a member of the Quorum of the Seventy, who gave a devotional this morning, Fairness for all. I really liked what he talked about and if you would like to watch it, it can be found on BYUTv’s website.

He spoke about how we need to respect religious freedom for all. And not only that but we need to respect everyone and grant them the fairness they deserve. He spoke about to hypothetical situations where a gay person gets fired for being gay and a Mormon being fired for being Mormon. Both are wrong. We should not be discriminated against for either.  He speaks about how we should stand up and protect each other and not having to accept each other’s views. #FairnessForAll

This is great message. I like it. But I also think we can take it a step further. Fairness seems very distant to me, we can be fair without even knowing who we are protecting. I say we in addition to #FairnessForAll, how about #LoveForAll. Jesus Christ was fair, but I don’t think that is what made him remarkable, but the fact that He loved everyone so much that He did what no one else could do. And yet we are commanded to love one another. And we all know that “golden rule:” treat others the way you wanted to be treated. But we are taught by the Savior himself, to love others as I have loved you. Do you know how He loves us? Perfectly. He loves us in the way we need him to and this is different for every other person. We are to love others not in the way we want to be loved, but in the way they need to be loved.

In Sunday school, before coming back up to BYU we were speaking about how what we say and do can affect others and turn them away from the church. And one of the brethren was speaking about how he had a friend and she ended up being a lesbian. And he was talking to her about her life and she talked about her sons don’t talk to her anymore and she really has not family left. And the brother said, “Well you would think that they would tolerate you more because you are their mother.” And she just looked at him and said “I don’t want to be tolerated, I want to be loved.” And that really resonated with me. Sometimes, we think it is just enough to tolerate, to be fair, to just let it be. But that is not enough. Loving someone, seeing them and knowing them and being able to fully love them as Christ does is what we should be aiming for. Fair is good, but love is better. Let's get rid of the phrase, "We accept all people because we are all sinners." And instead say, "We are all children of our Heavenly Father and I will love you as He does." Maybe that phrase is a little long but hopefuly you get the gist. What better way to bear your testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ then to exercise His love for others in your own life.

These are all just my feelings and thoughts. And not the doctrine of the church. Take it as you will! Till next time!

- M